Hjortleifson has been heard, the DynaFit Vulcan

[GeezerSteve]

Bent Gate shows a 30.

PS Met your friends Carla and Brian the other day, they'll be over for a non-legally binding mount shortly.

Thx. MMW just got a pair. I plan to try 'em on this evening. Thanks also for the heads up re Carla. Looks like we'll be hooking up this weekend.

All I really want is a bit stiffer TLT5P w/o the bellows and a more-progressive flex.

TLT5P with tongue not stiff enough for ya?

. . .reduce the fwd lean.

Done this year. Reducing forward lean by 3* was a pretty easy DIY mod with gen 1 TLT5.

. . . add replaceable sole block to the Vulcan/Mercury. . . .

A flat-soled alpine DIN boot with the TLT5 cuff lock system would be cool. But the structure necessary for swappable soles is pretty heavy. Add swapable soles to Vulcan/Mercury/One and it's a completely different, and significantly heavier, series of boots. Re swappable soles, do people really swap very often? Seems to me that the Titan/Zzeus screw-in-plastic interface is not designed for lots of swap cycling.

[Dr_Moreau]

The structure necessary for swappable soles is pretty heavy. Add swapables to Vulcan/Mercury/One and it's a completely different, and significantly heavier, series of boots.

Well I guess that it depends in how you define significantly heavier, my Cochise light only weighs 100 grams more than the Maestrale RS and the Mercury.
On a side note, I noticed an odd thing about the weight of the Mercury, the size 27 was actually about 30 grams heavier than the size 28. Guess real life weights can vary a bit.

[XXX-er]

Re swappable soles, do people really swap very often? Seems to me that the Titan/Zzeus screw-in-plastic interface is not designed for lots of swap cycling.

I have been on the Garmont Xena (womens endorphin) for about 5 yrs and I have never had any issue with the screw-in-plastic, you can zap the 9 screws out with a screwgun but I have always been very careful putting the screws back in by hand feeling for the thread beginning when swapping the soles, IME it takes about 15 min to do carefully

Back then I didn"t tour as much, I probably swapped a couple of times a year when I only had one boot BUT at the time it was a good idea being able to ride all the skis I owned with one boot and it did fit well

but really you are making tradeoffs, IME a 2 boot alpine/AT quiver is the way to go

[XavierD]

I swap the my Cochise soles anywhere from 2 times a week to 2 times a month. Depends on the storm cycle

[PNWbrit]

Depends on the storm cycle

Cochise soul searching?

[auvgeek]

TLT5P with tongue not stiff enough for ya?

Well, I probably should have refrained from posting, to be honest. Thanks for calling me out. I haven't skied the TLT5 (or flexed it in the cold), so I don't really know. Sized up and bought a pair of 28s in GS, but they were simply too big even with powerwraps. I think that flex would be fine for my short, light skis, but I doubt it's stiff enough to drive my bigger skis (191 carbon Fat for instance). On big days with skinny skis, I bet the TLT5P would be money. On days when we're yo-yoing, I like to drop stuff and go fast on my bigger skis, and I think I would struggle a bit on the TLT5. Or maybe I'm just not a good enough skier.

A flat-soled alpine DIN boot with the TLT5 cuff lock system would be cool. But the structure necessary for swappable soles is pretty heavy. Add swapable soles to Vulcan/Mercury/One and it's a completely different, and significantly heavier, series of boots. Re swappable soles, do people really swap very often? Seems to me that the Titan/Zzeus screw-in-plastic interface is not designed for lots of swap cycling.

Marshal on blister says this add ~200g to the boot.

Here's what I think: The race-boot-wearing, sled-neck crowd gravitates towards stiff-ass boots with swappable soles, and the weight weenies gravitate towards the TLT5. That leaves those of us in the middle with a bunch of decent options, but few game-changing ones. I can't think of ANY boots that are between 1300 and 1500g and stiffer than the TLT5P. Can you? The Maestrale RS, Vulcan, and Cochise Light are the closest, but they're heavier and considerably stiffer. The Vulcan stepped up the stiffness, but (by all accounts) it's built like a brick shithouse -- borderline too stiff for most people and not very progressive. I can live with a $1000 price tag, but it seems like a ~1350g boot with a stiffness between the Vulcan and TLT5 would be perfect for ALOT of people. Also, the price difference between Vulcan at $1000 and almost half that for the Maestrale RS is absurd because I don't see what the average user is getting for it (stiffness?). If you need a boot that stiff, I doubt you're worried about an extra 150-200g for swappable soles. It seems like the Vulcan is filling a void that very few people honestly care about.

But hey, I fully admit that you're more experienced than I am. Interested in what you think, so tell me where I'm wrong.

I'll say it first: it's really time for me to stop spraying and start skiing.

[GeezerSteve]

I think you'd be very surprised how stiff the TLT5 w/tongues are and how big a ski one can ski with a TLT5. I can't imagine anyone would want a more laterally stiff boot. Fore-aft, with the tongue, they are stiff enough for most tourists (and too stiff for some, which is why lots of people ski them w/o tongues). I really like the progressiveness of the TLT5 flex with or without tongues. But, yeah, if you get in the back seat, there are limitations. Looks like the Vulcan/Merc/One class addressed that with a higher spoiler. I wouldn't know about hucking. I'm too old for that shit.

I plan to try on the One PX this evening. If it fits, the plan is to make it my mid-season boot and save the TLT5s for spring/summer and meadow skipper waxless rig.

[XavierD]

Cochise soul searching?

Yup. Kind of like me. Do I want to be a granola chomping trail head faggot racking up miles of vertical and enjoying nature's untarnished beauty yet harboring a passive agrissive distaste for those with snowmobiles for runining my entitled access to public land; or an agro balls to the walls alpine douche of sex and distruction suffering the PTSD of being stuck on HW 2 behind the train of overbuilt and under driven SUVs and Outbacks birthed by Shorline and Woodenvile on a mid March Saturday morning.

Ahh fuck it, I'll just go skiing, and get awesome by rappelling down the side of the jumps in the snowboard park along i90. You are invited.

[XavierD]

Well, I probably should have refrained from posting, to be honest.

I'll say it first: it's really time for me to stop spraying and start skiing.

Don't kid yourself, this is TGR. We are all experts here, experience not required.

[PNWbrit]

get awesome by rappelling down the side of the jumps in the snowboard park along i90. You are invited.

Count me in.

Actually terrain park ice bouldering could be the next big thing?

[Mofro261]

Here's what I think: The race-boot-wearing, sled-neck crowd gravitates towards stiff-ass boots with swappable soles, and the weight weenies gravitate towards the TLT5. That leaves those of us in the middle with a bunch of decent options, but few game-changing ones. I can't think of ANY boots that are between 1300 and 1500g and stiffer than the TLT5P. Can you? The Maestrale RS, Vulcan, and Cochise Light are the closest, but they're heavier and considerably stiffer. The Vulcan stepped up the stiffness, but (by all accounts) it's built like a brick shithouse -- borderline too stiff for most people and not very progressive. I can live with a $1000 price tag, but it seems like a ~1350g boot with a stiffness between the Vulcan and TLT5 would be perfect for ALOT of people. Also, the price difference between Vulcan at $1000 and almost half that for the Maestrale RS is absurd because I don't see what the average user is getting for it (stiffness?). If you need a boot that stiff, I doubt you're worried about an extra 150-200g for swappable soles. It seems like the Vulcan is filling a void that very few people honestly care about.
.

I really see myself turning into a race-boot-wearing-weight-weenie who has decided the one boot quiver makes about as much sense as the one ski quiver- nice in concept but there is always going to be a compromise at some point. The first year I had my Titans I switched out the blocks maybe 15-20 times and even played around using them to drive true GS skis. They came close to a one boot quiver, but I cracked those shells and haven't switched out the blocks on the replacements once in the last year and a half. Simply put, I enjoy skiing alpine boots in bounds and being able to beat on them and AT boots while touring, so I simultaneously am looking at a plug boot (yeah I still race beer league a couple nights a week near the front) and a boot like the TLT5p (nearly half the weight of the titans I've used to win rec div at vert fest the last 2 yrs) as my next sets of boots. Having done a significant bit of touring with several ripping TLT5p skiers, I've seen what they are capable of driving at least 100-110mm skis. Would a mercury/RS/vulcan be a better choice? I dunno, maybe. Would I want to use them to drive the XXL's or >24M gs skis inbounds? Doubtful. Then again, if it's a true pow day then either way then it really doesn't matter so much.

[auvgeek]

Actually terrain park ice bouldering could be the next big thing?

TR to follow...

[Scotsman50]

Took the Vulcans for their maiden voyage today.
Tour mode is unbelievable...thing I noticed most was that I didn't have to change my heel risers so much because forward flexibility of boot allowed me to feel comfortable on a lower heel riser setting than on my other boots.

Downhill..Jesus H Christ...so fucking stiff...no flex, zero, locked in like a pair of race boots! Never had a pair of boots on so stiff before. Took the tongues out....felt better and still plenty stiff( about as stiff as my old Virus's) Can only see me using tongues on groomer ripping. Fuck me..they are STIFF!

[gregL]

I really see myself turning into a race-boot-wearing-weight-weenie who has decided the one boot quiver makes about as much sense as the one ski quiver . . .

I'm a step ahead of you. Back in a Lange RS 130 for lift-served, and keeping the TLT5P as well. Ask me in a month or so about the Mercury, I've got a pair of them too.

[gregL]

I noticed an odd thing about the weight of the Mercury, the size 27 was actually about 30 grams heavier than the size 28.

With the Mercurys I weighed, the 28.5 was 64 grams heavier than the 27.5. Same thing with the Vulcans, the 28.5 was 60 grams heavier than the 27.5. You took the two wads of paper out of the liners?

[Dr_Moreau]

With the Mercurys I weighed, the 28.5 was 64 grams heavier than the 27.5. Same thing with the Vulcans, the 28.5 was 60 grams heavier than the 27.5. You took the two wads of paper out of the liners?

Yes tried on both sizes and both me and the bootfitter checked them to see if we could find something wrong. Didnt weigh the liners separately though so I cant tell if the difference were in the shell or the liners. A bit weird, maybe there was something wrong with the size 27? The Cochise fit better so I didnt investigate further.

[JeffreyJim]

I have about 4 days in mine. Holeee are they stiff. Sheesh.

Skiing without the tongue and most days I've had my Intuition liners from my old Krytpons in there. Performance is very very good but as someone who is used to a 3 piece boot with a more linear forward flex I am actually going to need to mod the boot to be SOFTER (gasp!)

Anyone have any ideas? I was thinking if I cut away a portion of the area where the cuff lock spoiler interacts with the lowers would allow the boot to articulate forward more. Then again...maybe not.

Maybe the new Virus is what I was really looking for???

[harpo-the-skier]

JJ, how big are you? R you on the Mercury or Vulcan?

[gregL]

. . . I am actually going to need to mod the boot to be SOFTER (gasp!) Anyone have any ideas?

Try cutting the removable tongue down - this is what mine look like now after the third cut. Do it in stages, until you get the flex you like. Also don't buckle the top buckle as tightly, the flex is directly linked to how tight you buckle it.

[Mofro261]

I'm a step ahead of you. Back in a Lange RS 130 for lift-served, and keeping the TLT5P as well. Ask me in a month or so about the Mercury, I've got a pair of them too.

Will do re:Mercury. It looks like a pair of TLT5p's will be on my feet sooner than anticipated.

[time2clmb]

huh...well plenty of people buying touring boots and trying to make them stiffer. Stiffer boot comes out and now people are trying to make them softer lol...what's the point when softer boots are available?

Have a few more days on mine and was on hill with them today (Mercury). Not quite as stiff as my Lange Freeride 130's, but stiffer than my Factors, and the flex is nicer than the Factor. Skied with tongues in. Plenty stiff to drive my Influence 115's on variable snow. Found the flex to be nice. During a turn gradually increasing pressure into the tongue found a nice consistent increase in the stiffness. No "wall" feeling to speak of what so ever, but i'm 175 lbs. There is one mod I will probably make to them and that is getting rid of the stock strap and replacing it with a more elasticy wider strap just to bring the very top of the boot above the buckle in a bit tighter.

[LeeLau]

huh...well plenty of people buying touring boots and trying to make them stiffer. Stiffer boot comes out and now people are trying to make them softer lol...what's the point when softer boots are available?

at first I had the wtf moment too but then I suppose perhaps it might be the best fitting boot for whoever posted that. Plus that Mercury has a pretty amazing walk mode.

[Jim S]

huh...well plenty of people buying touring boots and trying to make them stiffer. Stiffer boot comes out and now people are trying to make them softer lol...what's the point when softer boots are available?

Have a few more days on mine and was on hill with them today (Mercury). Not quite as stiff as my Lange Freeride 130's, but stiffer than my Factors, and the flex is nicer than the Factor. Skied with tongues in. Plenty stiff to drive my Influence 115's on variable snow. Found the flex to be nice. During a turn gradually increasing pressure into the tongue found a nice consistent increase in the stiffness. No "wall" feeling to speak of what so ever, but i'm 175 lbs. There is one mod I will probably make to them and that is getting rid of the stock strap and replacing it with a more elasticy wider strap just to bring the very top of the boot above the buckle in a bit tighter.

I tried little brother Mercury again today without the tongue: great fit, superb touring mode, and quite stiff sans tongue. Nice flex early on but after a small range of motion it's like hitting a brick wall. I'm not saying that's a bad thing because clearly a lot of folks are diggin this boot; I'm just not used to it with my current alpine or AT boots for the past millenium.
(6'2" 185 lbs)

BTW, I found the Mercury to run small: I went up a size. Not sure if this holds true for the Vulcan.

[XavierD]

For me, the Vulcan is stiffer than the Lange ZBs, by a long shot. Probably up there with the ZC's, or the Scorpion 130. YMMV

[LeeLau]

I can't really keep track. Smallish guy like me (160lbs) found Vulcan to be not so progressive. Medium sized guy like JimS ditto. Pow11 who is built like brick shithouse and powerful skier finds it fine. T2C what say you?

i've got the production Vulcan, Mercury, Maestrale RS in the hopper this season so will loan them out to size 27s who I trust in Whistler to get their impression (that includes P11 for sure)